If you have been dealing with chronic pain, or have recently been injured, you may have been to see a doctor and discussed your options for pain relief, or you have been through the gamut of medications and invasive procedures to only find yourself still dealing with pain. Maybe you’ve heard of regenerative medicine, but aren't sure how it works or if it's right for you. Let's take a look at what exactly regenerative medicine is and how it works.
Regenerative medicine refers to a variety of non-surgical therapy options that utilize and encourage the body’s own inherent ability to heal itself. This means that when you sustain an injury or encounter degeneration, the body finds the source of the pain and begins working on repairing the damage. Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies do as well, making it more difficult for the healing process to be as fast as it is when we are younger. That is where regenerative medicine comes in.
Regenerative Tissue
There are many types of regenerative therapies that are being utilized, but two of them tend to be the most widely preferred with great success rates. One of our doctors’ preferred methods is using regenerative tissue. This potent, healing tissue is found in Wharton’s Jelly, a substance that is present in the tissue umbilical cords of newborn infants. The tissue is donated by the mothers who undergo a rigorous pre-screening, and neither the mother nor baby are harmed during this process. Regenerative tissue is preferred due to the fact that it is young, healthy, and contains high concentrations of cytokines, peptides, collagens, and growth factors. When the tissue components are injected into an injured or damaged area, they stimulate regeneration and repair at a rapid rate, enabling patients to begin experiencing relief and healing immediately.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
Platelet-Rich Plasma, also known as PRP, is another preferred therapy. These treatments use components in your own blood for regeneration and healing. This procedure is a little more straightforward. During your doctor visit, a small sample of blood is drawn. The sample is then spun through a centrifuge, which separates the plasma from the rest of the sample. Once the platelets have been isolated, they are re-injected into the injured area. By re-introducing a higher concentration of platelets, the repair is encouraged and healing begins more rapidly.
Regenerative medicine is a non-surgical, effective alternative for those who are looking for relief from various painful conditions, such as:
- Neck and back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Arthritis
- Neuropathy
- Herniated discs
- Torn ligaments
- Knee pain
- Carpal tunnel
- Sciatica
- And more
No matter what the cause of your pain, regenerative medicine offers a non-invasive way to heal the body at the source of your pain. For patients who are tired of living with chronic pain, who want effective, long-term results, and who want to avoid invasive procedures and symptom-masking medications, regenerative medicine offers hope. Pain doesn't have to be a part of your everyday life, there are ways to get quality pain relief so that you can return to living the lifestyle you deserve.